Serving and Supporting LGBTQ+ Students: A Mixed-Methods Assessment of Library Services at the University of Maryland

Abstract

While LGBTQ+ students are more visible on college campuses than ever before, these students continue to face significant challenges as both sexual-orientation and gender-identity minorities on campuses. In a time when LGBTQ+ people are scrutinized nationally, in particular transgender people who are targeted as a result of misinformation, it is critical to ensure that libraries continue to welcome and effectively respond to the needs of these populations. This poster details the findings of a mixed-methods qualitative assessment project that examined how self-identified LGBTQ+ students use a university library system. The project identified how library services and spaces support these populations’ current academic needs. The study also uncovered concerns regarding budget cuts and institutional autonomy amid ongoing attacks on public institutions nationwide. The presenters will share the recommendations and best practices developed as a result of community driven feedback and identify how participants can adapt these findings for their own libraries.